Ironman racer abandons training for capsized boat rescue
22/09/2022
AN RNLI crewmember abandoned preparations for an Ironman race in Wales to assist in the rescue of two people in the sea.
Both of Tenby’s lifeboats were launched one afternoon in September, after being alerted by the Coastguard that the occupants of a capsized boat were in the water.
When his pager went off, RNLI Tenby station mechanic Will Horton interrupted preparations for Ironman Wales the following day and responded to the call.
The two boaters and their dog managed to make their way ashore at Box Bay, but were stranded with no way to scale the steep cliffs, where St Govans Coastguard Rescue Team waited at the top.
The helm of Tenby’s inshore lifeboat took the two boaters and dog aboard and transferred them to the larger Haydn Miller lifeboat, which took them ashore at Lydstep.
The lifeboat subsequently launched during the Ironman event to investigate a report that two people had been cut off by the tide at the west end of Manorbier.
Whilst HM Coastguard Tenby and Dyfed-Powys Police searched the shoreline, the lifeboat searched from the sea, using its powerful searchlights and parachute flares to illuminate the area. However, nothing was found and the incident was classified as a false alarm with good intent.
Will Horton finished the Ironman Wales race in 11:47:23 and crew member Rhys Thomas in 13:42:16.
The image from RNLI Tenby shows the search.
